I'm the Co-founder and CEO of The Grommet. We launch undiscovered consumer products. It's also the birthplace of Citizen Commerce. I write about design, cultural anthropology, and start-ups, mostly.

Betting on American hackers

Mark Hatch, left, and Jim Newton started TechShop to bring expensive tools to everyday tinkerers. Members pay a fee and can use any of the equipment. Photo by Jim Wilson/NYT

I’m pretty excited to learn about the startup TechShop. It’s taking high-end product development prototyping and development tools to the street (or the strip mall). How cool is that? I think a lot about the Democratization of Innovation. Now, TechLab is building a business around it, as covered here by Ashlee Vance, in yesterday’s New York Times.

Co-founder Mark Hatch says,

“Making things is core to who we are as Americans. We are inventors. We are creators. Once you give people access to the tools, there will be a resurgence of creativity and innovation.”

I’m now looking forward to the future flow of new Grommets from the TechShop customers. It’s only a matter of time.